Sturm Ruger said it’s resumed normal acceptance of orders from distributors, and business is good.

“Demand for our products is very strong, and the current backlog remains significantly above year-ago levels,” the company said in announcing it will again accept new orders. “Our production and shipments in the first quarter of 2012 increased more than 50% from the first quarter of 2011 and remain very strong.”

The maker of pistols, revolvers, rifles and shotguns, mainly for the sport hunting market, was supply-constrained in first quarter. The good news is orders have been rising. On March 21, it said it had received an overwhelming 1.2 million orders during the quarter, more guns than it made in all of 2011.

Despite initially rising, RGR’s stock price is below where is was when they suspended new orders.

I wonder if they occasionally they stop taking orders like this because they’re afraid the orders are the equivalent of ‘vaporware’? I can see where maybe when availability is supply constrained, dealers would put in multiple orders with the different distributors to have a better chance at getting an order filled, then when an order is filled, cancelling the other orders.
I mean is it really possible that orders for a single quarter exceed the previous years total sales? That would be a sales increase of 4x, when instant checks are up ~20%…

MJ

I’m sure you’re correct that election year zaniness is part of the reason. Also, Ruger has introduced a large number of new models in the last year, which probably contributes to some degree.

Lance

Thats good wish the idiocy of the Obama boom would end.

Jacob

My last Ruger took 5 weeks to get in. I heard the camp guns are probably back ordered into mid Summer. Turners sold 800 in their introduction, I think that was in 3 days.

I would guess they don’t want to ramp production to a point where sales could drop off and they would get stuck with over production and over staffing. In consumer products that’s where you take huge losses. Every gun in the warehouse is dead cash or worse debt.

jason tend

I am glad they are accepting orders. I hope they plan on bringing back a shotgun and introducing a mini-14 in 300AAC.

Cymond

Funny, they stopped taking orders before they announced the 10/22 takedown. Then, I started seeing 10/22 TDs in gun stores before Ruger had resumed orders. So, where they ordered before they were announced?